Planooftaph co



w. R. MCCLAVE.

FunNAcE CONSTRUCTION.

APELICATION FILED MN13| |917..

l Patented Oct. 14, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. R. MCCLAVE.

FURNCE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED |AN.|3.19|1.

Patented Oct. 14, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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abbozmzq y W. R. McCLAVE.

FURNACE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 13.1911. 1,318,580, Patented of.14,1919.

THB COLUMBIA PLAN-043th!! C0.. WASHINUIION, D. c.

W. R. McCLAVE.

FURNACE CONSTRUCTION.

,APPLICATION rvu-:D mn. 13. 19u'.

Patented Oct. 14, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- frm commun rLANoun^i l 00'.. WASHINGTON. um c.

UNITED sTA'rizs PATENT onirica. l i

WILLIAM It. MecLAvn, or scgaANroN, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeN'on To MCcLAvEPRooKs COMPANY, or scRANToN, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

FURNACE coNs'IRUcTIoN.

Specication of Letters Patent. Pijented'oct.' 14, 19719. Y

Application filed January 13, 1917. Serial No. 142,273.

To all fui/wm t may concern: e

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. MCCILAWE, a citizen of the United States, residingA at Scranton, in thecounty of Laclrawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furnace Construction; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in furnace construction which are particularly useful in connection with furnaces for the burning of bituminous coal and of the type utilizing` the kunder-feed principle o f stoking the fire. A furnace of this type is illustrated in the application filed b William McClave, December 20, 1916,` erial No. 138,043, andthepresent improvements are conveniently embodedin a furnace similar in many respects to the furnace illustrated and described in the illiam McClave application. l y

In said Villiam McClave application there is shown andv described a furnace provided with a yfuel receiving channel inclosed within the front wall of thefurnace and extending substantially clear across the fuel receiving` end ofthe grate. Fuel is fed t0 the channel by means of a chute and beneath the discharge end of the chute is located a pivoted sweep or swinging plate which may be swung back and forth by power connections or by vhandfto push the fuel transversely into the channelwhich extends from both sides o-f the chute. VAfter such transverse distribution of the fuel in the channel has been effected, the fuel is pushedrdown onto the grate eitherby power operatedrams or specially constructed hand tools. An object of the present invention is t0 provide a construction for feeding the fuel by gravity to the inclosed channel in such a way that the fuel will distribute itselftransversely inthe channel without the necessity of employing poweror hand operated sweeps for eecting transverse distribution of the fuel, such as is disclosed in the `William McClave application.

A furtherobject of the invention is to construct the fuel feeding mechanism for the inclosed channel in such manner that the feeding mechanism may be located in front ofthe furnace and atl the same time fire doors may be vlocated in the front furnace wall in positions which will permit ready access .to the combustion chamber of the furnace without interference bythe fuel feeding mechanism. The usual construction is to providefuel hoppers which extend clear across the front of the furnace, thereby practically blocking the wayfor the introduction of lire doorsjin the front furnace wall and making it exceedingly difficult tolreach the combustion chamber of the furnace when it becomes necessary to inserta tool for some purpose, such as to ram the fuel down the grate, Bythe present improved construction of fuel feeding mechanism this difficulty is entirely `obviated vand no interference whateverA is o ered tok access to the interior of the furnace throughredoors.

`Furnaces of the type Y.especially amenable to the present improvements vary considerably in width.. For example, they furnace may be an exceedingly narrow one having but afsingle Acomparatively narrow combustion chamber, or the furnace may be very wide and have a correspondingly wide combustion chamber lor consist of many combustion chambers arranged one after the other in a long row. Itis intended that the present: improved mechan'ism yfor feeding fuel to the channel be utilized in furnaces of widths ranging from the-very narrowest to the widest; having several combustion chambers, and in order to avoid the necessity of specially constructing thefuel feeding mechanism for each individual furnace,

the feeding mechanism, in accordance with the preferred VInode of practising "the inl. vention', is'constructed in sections, each section constituting a unit which may. be readily assembled with any number of other units in order to provide means for delivering the fuel at a sulicient number of different points to meet the exigcncies of the particular furnace, which it isdesired to equipwith the fuel feeding mechanism. Preferably, these the feeding mechanism, having a different number of points of discharge for the fuel, so that a feeding mechanism may be quickly built up to meet widely variant conditions, as to `feedof fuel and sizeof thechannels. Forexample, thefunits may be constructed in twoy different siZes,' one having three points of discharge for the fuel andthe other havingbuttwo, and by proper selection of :these are different size units adapted to constitute i io Cil

units, a system forming the fuel feeding mechanism may be built up to accommodate a furnace of almost any width.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel constructions, arrangements, and combination of parts hereinafter described in a preferred form and particularly set forth in the claims at the end of the specifica-tion.

ln the drawings Figure l is a front elevation of a furnace especially adapted for the burning of bituminous coal and provided with the present improvenients.

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the fuel feeding mechanism and inclosed chamber on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. l is a detail sectional view on the broken line lof Fig. 2 illustrating the ducts which lead from the preheated air chamber to the main combustion chamber.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating units of the fuel feeding mechanism applied to furnaces dif-l ferent in size from the one illustrated in Fig. 3.

Like characters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

The improvements of the present invention may be utilized in connection with a furnace divided into a number of sections or divisions, by parting walls, the sections being assembled in a long line one after the other to form a battery of combustion chambers each of which may be equipped with a grate `or grates. 1t will be obvious that the number of divisions of the furnace is immaterial; in fact, one feature of my invenn tion lies in the construction of the fuel feeding mechanism whereby it is readily adaptable to furnaces of varying widths. For convenience in illustration and to avoid unnecessary complication, only one combustion chamber is shown in the accompanying drawings, said combustion chamber being indicated by the reference. character 1. lVithin the chamber 1 is a grate 2 supported in an inclined position therein as shown more particularly in Fig. 2. The upperl fuel receiving end of said grate is supported by the lower girder member 3) of a double transverse bearer bar, the upper girder member l of said bar being utilized for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. The bearer bar extends clear across the combustion chamber 'and is supported by the side walls of the latter in any manner well konwn in the art. rlhe lower end of the inclined grate may be supported in any suitable manner, and at said lower end there is arranged a rocking section 5 preferably journaled to oscillate in 'bearings formed in bearer bars bridged between the lower end of the grate and the forward member 6 of a series of transverse girders or beams, which support the rear wall 7 of the combustion chamber. In its preferred construction the rocking section 5 is composed of rearwardly extending fuel supporting and dumping extensions and forwardly extending segmental sections. The movement of the rocking section of each grate is controlled by an operating bar or link 9 pivoted to a downwardly extending arm 10 of the rocking section and extending out through the front wall of the furnace where said link is pivoted to a suitable operating lever arm 11, located outside the front furnace wall. Beneath the grate the bottom of the combustion chamber isl extended by means of downwardly inclined flooring sections 12, 13, to form an ash pit 1l into which the lire may be dumped, as required. The furnace illustrated in the drawings is particularly yadapted for the burning` of bituminous coal in thick heavy beds'and therefore it is desirable that artificial draft be supplied beneath the grate through an inlet 15 at the bottom of the ash pit.

The fuel receiving` channel 16 is located at the forward end of the furnace directly in front of the inner vertical wall or plate 2l and the bottom of the channel is formed by a lower dead plate 19 inclined upwardly toward the front of the furnace and supported upon the triangular brackets 2O which are secured to and extend inwardly from the 100 rear face of the front furnace wall 17, as shown particularly in Fig. 2. To insure great rigidity and strength the innermost angular portions 2Oa of the several brackets 20 are bolted to the forward girder member 105 4 of the transverse bearer bar hereinbefore referred to. From above the channel 16 is inclosed by the upper dead plate 23 which extends transversely clear across `the furnace and is supported at its ends by the side 110 walls of the furnace as illustrated in Fig.

3. In the rear the upper dead plate 23 is supported upon the inner furnace wall 2l and extends over the the fire brick section 51 of the latter. The front edge of u oper 115 Vdead plate 23 is spaced just enough L ove the inclined bottom of the channel 16 to provide a. long narrow slot 1'?a which extends clear across the channel 16 and through which hand tools may be inserted when it is desired to assist the power operated rams in pushing the fuel deposited in the channel down to the fire bed. The lower dead plate 19 extends down to the fuel receiving end of the grate and said dead plate is preferably supported by the triangular bearing members 20 at an inclination corresponding substantially to the inclination of the grate.

1n the embodiment illustrated power operated rams are employed for 'pushing the 130 Laisser) fuel down onto the grate and the upper portion 19a of the dead plate lies in a plane below the plane of the grate to provide a depressed channel in which the rams reciprocate while the lower portion 19b of said dead plate is flush with the fuel bearing surface of the grate.- The lower edge of inner furnace wall24 is vlocated above the plane of the dead plate 19 in order to permit the dis charge of fuel, but at the same time the lower edge of said wall is set near enough to the plane of the dead plate in order to permit the formation of a ridge of fuel behind the wall 24. The upper end of the dead plate 19 projects through the transverseslot 17 a and mounted on said upper end is a ram cover 42, the upper face of which is preferably flush with the lower portion 19h of the deadplate and consequently flush with the fuel bearing' surface of the grate 2. Ashereinbefore stated the front edge of upper dead plate 23 is spaced above the plane of the ram cover 42 so that a hand tool may be readily inserted into the channel at this point.

Beneath the cover is the ram 43, the construction of which has been set forth in detail in the application of lVilliam McClave. For present purposes it isrsutficient to state that the reciprocatory motion is imparted to the ram by gear segments 44 fixed to a rock shaft 45, and having teeth which engage racks formed on the under surface of the ram. The rock shaft 44 is journaled in bearings extending upwardly fromthe front furnace wall 17 and is provided with a crank 46 pivoted to the upper end of a connecting rod 47. The latter in turn is pivoted at its lower end to a crank 48 on the main power shaft 34whereby motion is transmitted to the gear segments 44` to `reciprocate the ram and push the fuel in thepfchannel 16 down to the grate below. Y Y u The presen-t invention is particularly concernedwith the mechanism for feeding fuel to the transverse channel 16 by gravity ink such manner that transverse distributionof the fuelY in Athe channel is effected solely by the gravital feed or discharge of the fuel. For this purpose, it isessential that fuel be supplied to the channel 16 at a number of different points along the latter, and' it is a feature vof the present'invention that such wide distribution of the fuel is eected without blocking the front of the furnace so as to `make access to the interior thereof dithcult. At spaced intervals, the upper dead plate 23 is provided with inlet openings 23a, through which fuel is fed finto the interior of the channel and seated over these open ings are the branch chutes 52 of the fuel feeding sections or units 53. Each unit iaprovided with a main chute 54 andseveral branch chutes 52 and fuel deposited in the main chute will be directed into` the several branch chutes, which deliver the fuel throughthe inlet openings 23a in the upper dead plate of the channel 16, the fuel spreading itself out by gravity in the channel into the path of the rams which push the fuel down to the grate. It will be understood that the main or entrance chute 54 of each section or unit is connected with the source of fuel supply, which may be located at some point above the furnace. By constructing the feeding mechanism in sections or units, the assemblage of the mechanism in proper position on the furnace is greatly facilitated and the mechanism is also capable of adaptation to channels and furnaces of varying widths by the simpleprocess of Vadding or subtracting units to meet the particular requirements of the furnace to be equipped.

In order to adapt the feeding mechanism to furnaces of as many different sizes as possible, it will be found vdesirable to construct the units in different sizes, and, in the present embodiment two sizes of units are illustrated, one having three branclror discharge chutes 52 and the other, having but twoV chutes. branches and the other two, systems may be built up v,which differ Yfrom each other in the number of branches or discharge chutes by oneL branch only, so that practically everyv size orwidth of furnace can be readily accommodated. In the larger size unit, z. e., the one having three rbranches 52, the two outer branches incline inwardly or converge into the main chute as shown at' 52a and the walls of the intermediate branch diverge as shown at 52b to meet the inner converging walls` 52'2 of the outer branches. To insure delivery of fuel in substantially equal amounts lto all members of the three-branch chute, an angular deflecting plate 55 is positioned in the main chute just beneath the inlet with the apex of the plate facingtheinlet, as shown more particularly in Figs. 3 and 7. Thecsmaller unit or two branch chute is not provided with a deflecting plate 55 as the inner converging walls 52d serve the purpose of deflectingfuel substantially in equal amounts to both branches. The outer walls 52eV of the two-branch chute lconverge in the same manner as do the corresponding wallsL of the three-branch chute, but atsa slightly steeper inclination. It.will be noted that open spaces 56 are left between the several branches 52 of the fuel feeding units, after the latter have been assembled over the dead plate 23 of the furnace, and these open spaces may be utilizedy for the location of fire doors, hereinafter described. Y

lFor controlling the discharge of Vfuel into the channel 1 6 from all 'branches 52 simultaneously, a gate 57 is positioned beneath the dead plate, consisting of an elongated plate having openings 58 adapted to register with the inlet openings` k23".A of the dead plate.

As. one size unitV has three ioo The gate may be moved transversely to bring the openings 5S into and out of registry with the openings 28" by means of a rod 59 secured to a bloc-k G0 mounted on the gate. The rod 59 projects through a slot G1 formed in the Side wall of the furnace whereby ope 'ation of the gate may be conveniently effected from the exterior' of the furnace.

The fire brick section 51 extends upwardly behind the upper vertical wall 62 of the furnace, said wall being located to the rear of the' fuel feeding sections or units, as shown in Fig. 2. The fire brick section is provided with openings or inlets 51a which are respectively located behind the openings 56 interposed between the several branches or chutes 52; These openings 51u permit access to the interior of the furnace and ma-y be closed by lire doors 63 which are movable vertically in the space between the fuel feeding sections and the front furnace wall 62. Each fire door consists of a suitable metal plate 63" provided with a forwardly projecting operating handle (33b and if desired the metal plate may be lined with fire brick 63, as shown in Fig. 2. Vertical slideways 6fare provided receiving the vertical edges of the several lire doors and the lowering and lifting movement of said doors is preferably facilitated by counterweights 65 secured by ropes or cords 66 to the respective doors. The ropes G6 run over pulleys GT pivotally mounted in the front furnace wall 62. A door may be readily lifted by means of the handle 63h which projects from the front, the several doors being controlled independently of each other.

Above the fire brick section 51 is a space G8 inclosed by the rear upper fire brick section G9, the top plate TO and the front wall 62. This space GS constitutes a preheated air chamber which is adapted to receive air from beneath the grate by a suitable duct. The cham'ber GS communicates with the upper portion of the combustion chamber by means of ducts 71, between fire brick sections 51 and G9, as shown in Fig. 4.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate the mode of applying the fuel feeding units of this invention to furnaces of different widths. 1n Fig. 6 the furnace is smaller than the one disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5*, inclusive, and hence upper dead plate 23 is provided with four discharge openings 23 instead of five. Two of the smaller size units, t'. e., each unit having but two branches 52 are provided, the units being` secured in position over the dead plates. 1n Fig. 7 the furnace is still smaller having` but three discharge openings in the dead plate 1n this case it is only necessary to employ a single fuel feeding unit of the larger size having three b-ranches 52.

lllhat is claimed is 1. A furnace construction comprising the combustion chamber, the grate supported within the combustion chamber, a substantially inclosed fuel receiving channel within the furnace extending substantially clear across in front of the fuel receiving end of the grate, means for delivering fuel by gravity to the channel at different points along the latter and lire doors in the front furnace wall interposed between the points of delivery of the fuel to the channel, said doors being located above the fuel receiving channel whereby the continuity of the latter is unbroken.

2. A furnace construction comprising the combustion chamber, the grate supported within the combustion chamber, a substantially inclosed fuel receiving channel within the furnace extending substantially clear across in front of the fuel receiving end of the grate, means for delivering fuel by gravity to the channel at different points along the latter and vertically movable independently operable fire doors in the front furnace wall interposed between the points of delivery of the fuel to the channel, said doors being located above the fuel receiving channel whereby the'continuity of the latter is unbroken.

3. A furnace construction comprising the combustion chamber, the grate supported within the combustion chamber, a substantially inclosed fuel receiving channel within 'the furnace extending substantially clear across in front of the fuel receiving end of the grate, means for delivering fuel by gravity to the channel at different points along the latter and vertically movable fire doors in the front furnace wall interposed between the points of deliver)v of the fuel to the channel, said doors being located above the fuel receiving channel whereby the continuity of the latter is unbroken.

4. A furnace construction comprising the combustion chamber, the grate supported within the combustion chamber, a substantially inclosed fuel receiving channel extending substantially clear across in front of the grate and having inlet openings at intervals in the top of the channel, said channel having a transversely extending opening in its front and rear walls substantially coextensive with said walls, and a fuel feeding unit having a plurality of delivery branches adapted to register with a corresponding number of said inlet openings.

5. A furnace construction comprising the combustion chamber, the grate supported within the combustion chamber, a substantially inclosed fuel receiving channel extending substantially elear across in front of the grate and having inlet openings at intervals in the top of the channel, said channel having a transversely extending opening in its front and rear walls substantially coextensive with said walls, and a fuel feeding unit having a main inlet branch combustion chamber, the grate supported within'the combustion chamber, a substantially inclosed fuel receiving channel eX- tending substantially clear across in front of the grate and having inlet openingsl at intervals in the top ofthe channel, said channel having a transversely extending opening in its front 'and rear walls substantially coeXtensive with said walls, and fuel feeding mechanism embodyingy a plurality of units each having a main inlet branch and av plurality of discharge branches adapted to register with a corresponding number of said inlet openings.

7. A furnace construction comprising the combustion chamber, the grate supported within the combustion chamber, a substanti ally inclosed fuel receiving channel extending substantially clear across in front of the i grate and having inlet openings at intervals in the top of the channel, a fuel feeding unit having a plurality of spaced'delivery branches adapted to register with a corresponding number of said inlets, and fire doors in the front furnace wall interposed between the several branches of the fuel feeding unit. v

8. A furnace construction comprising the combustion chamber, the grate supported within the combustion chamber, a substantially kinclosed fuel receiving channel extending substantially clear across in front of the grate and having inlet openings at intervals in the top of the channel, a fuel feeding unit having a plurality of spaced delivery branches adapted to register with a corresponding number of said inlets, and vertically-movable fire doors in the front furnace wall interposed between the several branches of the fuel feeding unit.

9. A furnace construction comprising the combustion chamber, the grate supported within the combustion chamber, a substantially inclosed fuel receiving channel extending substantially clear' across in front of the grate and having inlet openings at intervals in the top of the channel, a fuel feeding unit having a plurality of spaced delivery branches adapted to register with a corresponding number of said iniets, andindevpendently operable re doors in the front furnace wall interposed between the several branches of the fuel feeding unit.

10. A furnace construction comprising the p combustion chamber, the grate supported within the combustion chamber, a substantially inclosed fuel receiving channel eX- tending substantially clear across in front' of the grate and having inlet openings at intervals in the top of the channel, a fuel feeding unit having a plurality of'spaced delivery branches adapted to register with a corresponding number of said inlets, a furnace wall behind the fuel feeding unit having openings registering with the spaces between the branches of the unit, and fire doors for covering the openings in said vertical wall, the fire doors and the openings in the furnace wall being located above the fuel receiving channel, whereby the continuity of said channel is unbroken.

11. `A furnace construction comprising the combustion chamber, the grate supported within the combustion chamber, a substantially inclosed fuel receiving channel extending substantially clear across in front of the grate and having inlet openings at intervals in the top of the channel, a fuel feeding unit having` a pluralityl of spaced delivery branches adapted to register with a corresponding number of said inlets, a furnace wall behind the fuel feeding unit'having openings registering with the spaces between the branches of the unit, and vertically-movable ire doors for covering the openings in said vertical wall,'the lire doors and the openings in the furnace wall being located above the fuel receiving channel, whereby the continuity of said channel is unbroken.

12. A furnace construction comprising the combustion chamber, the grate supported within the combustion chamber, a substantially inclosed fuel receiving channel eX- tending substantially clear across in front of the grate and having inlet openings at intervals in the top of the channel, a fuel feeding unit having a plurality of spaced delivery branches adapted to register with a corresponding number of said inlets, a furnace wall behind the fuel feeding unit having openings registering with the spaces between the branches of the unit,ivertically movable vfire doors for covering the openings in said vertical wall, and counterweights secured to said fire doors for assisting in the operation of the latter, the fire doors and the openings in the furnace wall being located above the fuel receiving channel, whereby the continuity of said channel is unbroken. p

` 13. A furnace construction comprising the combustion chamber, the grate supported within the `combustion chamber, a

fuel receivingchannel extending substantially clear across in front of the yfuel receiving end of the grate, said channel having the combustion chamber, the grate supported Within the combustion chamber, .a substantially inclosed fuel receiving channel Within the furnace extending substantially clear across in front of the fuel receiving end of the grate, said channel having a transversely extending opening in its front and rear Walls substantially coextensive with said Walls, means for delivering fuel by gravity to the channel at different points along the latter, and means for controlling the fuel discharge simultaneously at all of said points.

15. A furnace construction comprising the combustion chamber, the grate supported Within the combustion chamber, a substantially inclosed fuel receiving channel extending substantially clear across in front of the grate, said channel having openings in its top Wall and a transversely extending opening in each of its front and rear Walls substantially coextensive with said front and rear Walls, fuel delivery chutes mounted over said openings whereby fuel may be discharged by gravity into the channel at different points along the latter, and a gate for opening and closing all of said openings simultaneously.

16. A furnace construction comprising the combustion chamber, the grate supported With-in the combustion chamber, a substantially inclosed fuel receiving channel extending substantially clear across in front of the grate, said channel having openings in its top Wall and a transversely extending opening in each of its front and rear Walls substantially coextensive with said front and rear Walls, fuel delivery chutes mounted over said openings whereby fuel may be discharged by gravity into the channel at different points along the latter, a slidable gateI mounted in said channel adapted to open and close all of said openings sirnultaneously and means extending through the side Wall of the furnace for operating said gate.

VILLIAM R. MGCLAVE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

